


Pearls of Wisdom

by chitane



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Rogue/Gambit Week 2021, Rogue/Remy Week 2021, Time Travel AU, older rogue, prompt, young remy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29706645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chitane/pseuds/chitane
Summary: After a mishap with one of Forge's latest science projects, Rogue somehow finds herself 12 years into the past. AU Time Travel. Written for Rogue/Gambit Week 2021.
Relationships: Remy LeBeau/Rogue, Remy Lebeau & Rogue
Kudos: 20





	1. The Arrival

_BOOM!_

A quick flash of light burns through the protective glass and Rogue has to close her eyes and turn her body away to avoid the offending blast. It seemed like the whole lab was engulfed in white before Rogue eventually felt the air turn cool again.

A second before she regained her sight, Rogue immediately sensed that something was amiss.

Instead of standing in a sterile and well-lit laboratory in the lower levels of the X-Mansion, Rogue found her self standing on a patch of grass, with hundreds of people crowding around shops, food stalls and benches. She looked around to see buildings of French design with people eating on the balconies. Street musicians were busking passionately while onlookers watched, enjoying their renditions of jazz and blues.

It was quite obvious to her where she ended up in.

"Dammit Forge…", Rogue whispered to herself as she absorbed her surroundings.

She remembers just a few minutes ago. She'd been at the mansion's library, reading peacefully, when she got an excited call from Forge to come down to his lab. Apparently he'd been working on his own version of a time machine and had wanted her to observe.

Rogue's memory starts to dip, as she vaguely recalls standing behind a protective glass, unenthused, while Forge continued to rave over his latest project. She remembers him typing some coordinates and flicking a small switch on the machine, before a sudden blast overwhelmed them both.

Rogue sees a news stand and runs up to it. She picks up one of the stacked newspapers and immediately sets her sight on today's date. She felt her stomach drop.

12 years.

She had somehow found herself among the crowds of New Orleans, twelve years into the past, with just the clothes on her back and no Forge anywhere in sight.

"Forge!" Rogue says scowling before making her way along the brick pavement, "Wait till ah get my hands on that fool!"

* * *

_6 hours Later_

Rogue was having a terrible day.

Not only was she trapped in the past with no way of knowing how to return home, but her precious necklace got stolen by a thief.

A kid, now that she thought about it.

She was just nursing a drink at a local bar, listening to a drunk old man cry out his sorrows, when she got pushed by someone on the dance floor. She felt her neck become lighter, instinctively, she knew what was happening.

As her necklace fell away, she grabbed the little thief and lifted him up by the front of his jacket.

He has scared shitless. Seemed like he didn't get caught much. She was about to reprimand him, when the drunk man suddenly knocked her over, making her drop the kid. Seeing his chance, the boy quickly slipped through the crowd and ran out of the bar.

Naturally, Rogue gave chase, but she didn't know the streets as well as the boy did. He was unpredictable, going through what seemed like dead ends, but then was able to slip through cracks and broken fences. She even had to break through a few doors just to keep up with him.

While Rogue could have just easily flown above and catch the little bastard, in her circumstance, she thought it was for the best not to make her mutation known. The mutants from this era were more discreet about their powers. And plus, she didn't want to cause a big commotion that could possibly affect the future.

Anyways, she's more upset at herself for not absorbing the thief when she had the chance. At least, if she had lightly brushed her skin against his, she could've used those few seconds to quickly take back her necklace and run out.

And so, here she was, walking down a dimly lit street, feeling a bit downtrodden about the whole thing. Her fingers lightly brushed her neck, to where her necklace would have been resting.

It was a shame really. It was one of the few trinkets she actually kept with her. Irene gave it to her as a present when she was younger. A token from happier days.

"Excuse me, chere."

Rogue stops on her tracks.

It's a little higher in pitch, but she knows that voice well.

Being in New Orleans, she had been dreading this encounter. Right now, she isn't at all ready to see him.

She inhales and takes a few moments before turning to see a familiar, yet smaller figure standing a few feet away.

"You talking to me sugah?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I've chosen to avoid giving the date/year Rogue is trapped in. Just makes it easier for everyone.


	2. The Encounter

** Previously: **

_"Excuse me, chere."_

_Rogue stops on her tracks._

_It's a little higher in pitch, but she knows that voice well._

_Being in New Orleans, she had been dreading this encounter. Right now, she isn't at all ready to see him._

_She inhales and takes a few moments before turning to see a familiar, yet smaller figure standing a few feet away._

_"You talking to me sugah?"_

* * *

A young, teenaged Remy Lebeau stood before her, his body partly hidden in the shadows his eyes covered by a pair of sunglasses. He looked almost exactly like her Remy, but thinner, with shorter hair and with less scruff. Still, the boy looked as handsome as ever.

"No one else 'round here," He says. Even behind the glasses, she could feel his gaze appraising her. She noticed he stopped around her chest area.

Apparently, the Cajun was never _not_ a horn dog. Rogue gives him her best deadpanned look.

He notices and tries to pacify her, "Desole, bit rude of me. Let me see if I could try that again."

He clears his throat before saying, "Excuse me chere, Couldn't help but notice your beautiful, lonesome self, walkin' around these parts."

Rogue almost squirms.

"And you've been lookin' like someone had just killed your cat."

"That so?", she irately asks before folding her arms.

Remy shrugs and says, "Well yeah. Anyone can see you lookin' down and out."

Almost lazily, he starts to rummage through his coat pockets, as though he'd just remembered something, "Huh…let's see here…maybe…."

He eventually finds what he's looking for, "Ah, here it is. Maybe this could cheer you up."

It looked small enough to fit inside his fist. Before she could guess what it was, he says to her, "Catch."

The small object flew towards her, her hand instinctively reached out and grabbed it. She curiously opens her palm and gasps.

It was her necklace, shining back at her.

"How'd you-"

"My sincerest apologies for my cousin's incredibly, stupid behaviour today." Remy shakes his head in annoyance, "Etienne doesn't know what he's doin' half the time. I kicked his ass on your behalf, soon as I heard what happened."

She stares at the necklace. She really was devastated when she thought that boy had stolen it forever. Softly, she replies, "Ah thought ah was never gonna see it again," She looks earnestly into his covered eyes, "Thank you."

The young man gives a real smile, not much different from the smug one, but Rogue knows the difference in the crinkle around his eyes.

"Don't mention it petite. And again, sorry for what happened to your necklace."

Strangely, Remy tilts his head and opens his mouth, as though he was going to say something, before shoving his hands down his pockets. He turns around and begins his journey back to the path he came from.

He waves at her, without looking back, "Adieu, chere."

Rogue blinks at his retreating figure. Was it just her imagination or did he seemed hesitant? It was like he wanted to continue. Like he wanted to say more.

As he moves further away, Rogue second guesses. She knows it's good that their interaction was cut short. That she was only making a small impact to this timeline. And yet still, she was compelled to ask.

"Wait!"

He comes to a halt and slowly turns his body around, his expression appearing blank.

"You seemed like you wanted to ask me something."

He doesn't speak, as though he was carefully contemplating his next line. The silence was making her question her outburst, but before she could open her mouth, he says to her, "Just one thing…if you don't mind."

"No, not at all."

He saunters back to her, this time, she could see his face more clearly. His skin noticeably less tanned, his facial hair still at its fledgling stages.

Despite understanding that teenaged Remy and adult Remy were two completely different people, she couldn't help but compare. While they very much had the same mischievous nature, the young man in front of her was a little easier to read. She could physically feel him trying to reel himself back, his emotions right beneath the surface.

Adult Remy on the other hand, had crafted his poker-face to perfection. He was more hardened, more difficult to decipher.

"Are you a mutant chere?"

Rogue flinches. _Where in the world did that come from?_

"What?"

"A mutant. One of those folks who got super powers."

Her posture turned rigid, she felt on edge. Throughout her day in New Orleans, she thought she did a pretty good job avoiding civilians and other potential contacts. She mostly stayed out of big groups and the only time she congregated with people was when she sat at the bar. Even then, she was completely covered and was in a corner by herself.

"Why on earth would you think Ah'm a mutant?", She questions him.

He gives a lazy shrug, "Etienne was pretty shaken up after you gave chase. Said you were like a terminator...And that you busted through a metal door without breakin' a sweat."

Okay, maybe she could've done a better job with that part. But she was angry and frustrated! She didn't want to lose momentum chasing the little bastard.

"That's quite a tall tale if you ask me," Rogue says, she gives him a look of incredulity, "Seems like your cousin likes to exaggerate."

The haughtiest smirk she'd ever seen appeared on his lips.

"There's a womanly shaped dent on my neighbors' front gate that says otherwise."

Shit. Well, there goes her secret.

She sighs. Her mind was exhausted, and she just didn't have the energy to sway him from his line of questioning. Just looking at his face, she knew that he knew.

"Alright..yes. Ah'm a mutant. So what?"

This young Remy seemed to _really_ enjoy dramatic pauses, she notes. As soon as she gave her reply, he stares at her for what seemed like ages, before breaking out into a full-on grin.

"Nothin'. Just curious."

He gives her a salute and without warning, he began walking away once again.

_Huh?_

"Wha-", Rogue stuttered in confusion. She was at a loss for words. This guy really made her spit out a personal truth, and then was just gonna go on his merry way?

"Wha-…H-hey!" She runs after him, violently snatching his collar, and lifts him up in the air.

 _Not unlike how she did with Etienne_ , she dully notes.

She grips him tightly and forcefully brings him against a brick wall. He gives a loud grunt.

"What the hell swamp rat? You don't just ask someone a personal question and then leave in the middle of the conversation!"

"Swamp rat huh? That's new." He says, amused by the term.

 _No, it really isn't_. She's lost count how many times she's called him that.

"Look," She tries to refocus, "Ah don't like smug assholes who toy with me because they know something ah don't."

"Anyone ever tell you how cute you look when you're angry?"

 _Yes, you!_ Rogue shouts internally.

She growls at him, "So that's your plan? You get your little cousin to steal from me, then you return my stuff, hoping Ah'd fall all over ya? What's going on here? Why do you need to know Ah'm a mutant?"

"Alright, alright calmer petite, calm down."

She snarls viciously, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't gut you right now!"

Somewhere in her own timeline, Logan is proud of her.

Remy sneers and attempts another lazy shrug, "Honestly, can't think of any."

"Ah swear to god Remy-"

They both halt at that.

Remy squints at her. _Oops_.

"How do you know my name?"

How many times was she going to slip up today? She's so tired from all that's happened , she fleetingly considered just telling him that she's from the future. That she's his future teammate and they've got a weird thing going on between them, and that she's really scared of even thinking of being with him but….that might be going a bit overboard. The fantasy is quickly squashed.

"You telepathic chere?", he asks warily.

She tries for some damage control. Right now, the only thing he knows about her is that she's a mutant with super strength. Plenty of space for her to fill up the gaps with some half-truths.

"Believe me, if Ah were, Ah would've fried your brain already," She calms herself down and says, "Yeah. Ah know your name. But not much else. Just one of my more…passive powers. Alright?"

Rogue's anger visibly has simmered down, and there's an overall weariness to her that even Remy has detected it. She really needs to get back to her own timeline.

The teenager appears more apologetic. He feels the slackening of her grip and tries to placate her once more.

"Okay, I get you, And I will say, I'm sorry for toying with you. I didn't mean to mess with your feelings."

She scoffed, "Sure you didn't."

"No, It's true. You wanna know why I came to talk to you? Why I asked if you were a mutant?"

"Why?"

They enter into another pause where both are considering each other. She felt she was getting closer to his intentions, to why he did all this work to personally seek her out. His playfulness now almost completely gone, replaced by a more serious guise.

"It's a personal matter. It's something I need to talk to someone like you about."

 _Like her?_ Why would he need to talk to her of all people? Does he know she's from the future? Does he want to ask about _his_ future? Did he actually know more than he was letting on?

Fear starts to settle in but Rogue reigns in her emotions.

No, he couldn't possibly know. She had only been in New Orleans for a couple of hours and not once had she spoken to anyone about her origins. Now that she thought about it, she'd only spoken to three people the whole day.

"But, I think it's best if we get some food first. You had dinner yet?"

Even after being violently threatened, the boy just can't help himself.

"You're a masochist you know that? You like to ask out girls who try to kill you?"

"Little close to home there, chere."

Yeah, from the stories she's heard about Belladonna, she could imagine just how close to home she was.

"Ah didn't expect to be in New Orleans for long so...no, Ah haven't eaten."

"Bien, now uh, if you could please put me back down?"

She loosens her grip and he roughly lands back on his feet. He gives an _oomph_ upon impact and it only slightly makes her feel better.

"Alright, I'll let you in my predicament while we eat. You like Cajun food...uh..."

"Anna, And yea, Ah eat the stuff." Screw it, he can have her name too. It was a pretty common one anyways.

He beams and gives a little bow.

"Well, you're in for a treat my chere. I know just the place."

Remy starts chatting to her about the menu and his recommendations of the place. Rogue keeps a small distance from him as they begin to venture off to their destination. She's questioning her reasons for indulging him with this dinner. Her previous worries about possibly affecting this timeline, and potentially changing its future have not waned.

Still, she knew she had a soft spot for the Cajun. Didn't seem to matter at what age or time, he's always had some power over her. It annoyed her that he could keep his motives so close to his chest and yet, around him, she couldn't do the same. With a charismatic smile, he could undo her, pick apart her every emotion.

"Wait." She says.

They stop and Remy detects her reluctance.

"Before we go...Ah need to ask something from you."

Upon hearing her request, his face turns blank. Rogue knew Remy's career involved a lot of giving and taking information. At this age, she could see he still had a hard time with the giving aspect.

He licks his lips before taking out a cigarette, "What's on your mind petite?"

Again, she notes the difference between the two Remys. She could tell the Remy in front of her was uncomfortable. While most probably wouldn't outright agree, his little ticks and behaviors were like an open book to her.

"Your eyes. Ah'm assuming it's a mutation?"

He doesn't even try to deny it.

"You be right."

He takes a puff.

"May Ah see them?."

The cigarette resting between his lips was already halfway done, but he takes his time finishing the rest of it. He takes one slow, final drag before dropping the stick on the ground. He squishes it beneath his heel.

Tentatively, he takes the glasses away.

It's as if Rogue sees them for the first time.

"Ah'll never understand it." She quietly says.

"...Understand what?"

They stand there, as if both were in a trance. His bright rubies shine back at her.

She couldn't help but beam at him.

"Them humans. Why they can't just get over it."

Remy's eyes widen. He blinks at her statement, before his eyes turned soft. His lips spread into a slow, sincere smile. He looked relieved.

"You and me Anna."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter should be final. Thanks for reading!


End file.
